How Freight Gets Paid: Brokers, Rate Confirmations, BOL/POD, Detention, TONU and Factoring

Stage: BUILD  |  Last reviewed: September 17, 2026

Moving the freight is only half the job. Getting paid for it, fully and on time, is what keeps a small trucking business alive. This guide explains the documents, terms, and players involved when a load goes from booked to paid.

The flow of a load

Book the load → Rate confirmation → Pickup (BOL) → Delivery (POD) → Invoice → Get paid

Who's who

  • Shipper: The company that owns the freight or needs it moved
  • Broker: A licensed middleman that arranges transportation between shippers and carriers. Brokers don't haul the freight themselves.
  • Carrier: The company, or owner-operator with authority, that actually moves the freight
  • Factoring company: A company that buys your invoices so you get paid faster, for a fee

The key documents

Rate confirmation ("rate con")

The rate confirmation is the agreement for a specific load. It usually lists the rate, pickup and delivery details, appointment times, equipment, and extra charges (accessorials) like detention, lumper fees, layover, and TONU. If it isn't on the rate con, don't count on getting paid for it. Read it before you dispatch the truck, and get any changes in writing.

Bill of lading (BOL)

The BOL is issued at pickup. It describes the freight (what it is, how many pieces, weight) and acts as a receipt. Check it before you sign: piece count, seal number, and any notes. If the shipper loaded and sealed the trailer and you couldn't count it, mark it "shipper load and count" where appropriate.

Proof of delivery (POD)

The POD is the signed delivery receipt, often the BOL signed by the receiver. Make sure it's legible and includes the date, time, signature, and any exceptions (shortages, damage). No clean POD usually means no payment, or a delayed one.

Invoice

Send your invoice promptly with the rate con, BOL/POD, and receipts for any approved accessorials. Missing paperwork is one of the most common reasons carriers get paid late.

Common extra charges

Detention

Detention pays you when you're held at a shipper or receiver beyond the free time. A common arrangement is 2 hours free, then an hourly rate, but the actual terms are whatever your rate con says. In a 2023 OOIDA survey, owner-operators who received detention pay averaged about $53 per hour. But 17% said they never get detention pay, and only about a third were paid on every load.

Protect yourself: Record your arrival and departure times, have them noted on the BOL if possible, and notify the broker as soon as you're approaching the free-time limit.

TONU (Truck Ordered, Not Used)

TONU is a cancellation fee when a load is canceled after your truck was dispatched. Amounts vary, often a few hundred dollars. It's only reliably collectible if it's written into your rate confirmation.

Lumper fees

Some receivers require a third-party crew to unload. Get approval and payment instructions from the broker before paying, and keep the receipt.

Payment terms and cash flow

  • Standard terms: Many brokers pay in about 30 days after receiving complete paperwork. Some take longer.
  • Quick pay: Many brokers offer faster payment for a fee, often a small percentage of the load.
  • Factoring: A factoring company advances most of the invoice value right away and collects from the broker. Fees are commonly about 2–4% per invoice.

Recourse vs. non-recourse factoring

RecourseNon-recourse
If the broker doesn't payYou must pay the advance backThe factor absorbs the loss, usually only if the broker is insolvent
CostLower feeHigher fee
Watch forLong-term contracts, monthly minimums, setup or termination fees, and whether you must factor all invoices

Protections every carrier should know

Broker bond: $75,000

Federal rules require every property broker to maintain $75,000 in financial security, through a surety bond (BMC-84) or a trust fund (BMC-85). If a broker fails to pay, carriers may be able to file a claim. Since January 16, 2026, stronger FMCSA rules require bond providers to report quickly when a broker's security falls below $75,000, and brokers who don't fix it can be suspended.

Before you haul for a new broker: Look up its authority and bond status on FMCSA's registration website, and check its payment reputation.

Your right to see broker records

Under federal regulation 49 CFR 371.3, brokers must keep a record of each transaction, including what the shipper paid and the broker's compensation. Each party to the transaction has the right to review that record. FMCSA has been working on rules to strengthen this transparency. A proposal was published in 2024, and a new proposal was sent for White House review in August 2026. Watch for updates.

A quick checklist before you accept a load

  • ☐ Broker's authority and bond are active
  • ☐ Rate, miles, and fuel cost make sense for your cost per mile
  • ☐ Detention, TONU, layover, and lumper terms are on the rate con
  • ☐ Appointment times are realistic within hours-of-service rules
  • ☐ You know the payment terms (standard, quick pay, or factoring)
  • ☐ You know exactly which paperwork the broker needs to pay you

Sources

This article is general education, not legal or financial advice. Typical ranges are industry customs, not rules. Always follow your signed agreements.

18whings Foundation helps drivers and small carriers understand the business around them. Know this world well? Help us teach it. Give Whings. 

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